http://www.aclu-sc.org/News/Releases/101656/ ACLU/SC Files Suit After Arrest, Beating of Speaker at
Costa Mesa Council Meeting
Costa Mesa Resident Sues City After His Arrest During
a January Meeting
Thursday, March 2, 2006
ORANGE, Calif. – In response to the silencing, arrest
and beating of a local resident during a January city
council meeting, the ACLU of Southern California and
the Law Offices of B. Kwaku Duren filed a lawsuit
against the city of Costa Mesa today.
ACLU/SC staff attorney Belinda Escobosa Helzer filed
the lawsuit on behalf of Coyotl Tezcatlipoca, who at a
Jan. 3 city council meeting was abruptly silenced by
Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor half way through his
allotted time for public comment. Tezcatlipoca, who
also goes by Benito Acosta, was then immediately
surrounded by several police officers, dragged out of
the meeting room, beaten, arrested and later - while
still in custody - taken to the hospital for
treatment.
“We are deeply troubled by what happened in January.
Our elected officials owe it to their constituents to
hear all perspectives and discuss all potential
problems or benefits on every topic and not curtail
debate,” said Escobosa Helzer, an attorney in the
ACLU/SC’s Orange County office. “We filed this lawsuit
to help ensure that the Costa Mesa government
maintains a forum for all types of discussion and
debate and that residents do not fear that if they are
opposed to something they will be arrested and beaten
for speaking their mind.”
Tezcatlipoca attended the January meeting and was
selected to speak as a representative by more than 100
people also attending the meeting in opposition to a
plan that would allow law enforcement officials to
enforce federal civil immigration law in Costa Mesa.
"I believe that no one should be punished for speaking
their mind," Tezcatlipoca said. "I wanted to speak at
the city council meeting because this proposal will
send shockwaves through the community if it is
implemented.
“It is important that I speak up about what happened
so that it does not become more common. It’s painful
to talk about what happened to me, but I don't want
this rough, unfair treatment to scare people into not
speaking out about this proposal or anything else,”
Tezcatlipoca continued.
Escobosa Helzer, who has been monitoring the Orange
County proposals, says despite overwhelming public
opposition, Orange County and the city of Costa Mesa
are slated to enter into an agreement with Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Costa Mesa City
Council agreed to allow the city police to enforce
federal immigration law and become a part of Orange
County Sheriff Michael Carona's October proposal,
which has yet to be approved by the County Board of
Supervisors.
“Residents have major concerns about the proposal and
the ACLU has opposed it as well, but what’s at stake
is far more fundamental. We filed this lawsuit because
a fair and equitable process by which people can raise
legitimate concerns in Costa Mesa is in jeopardy,” she
said.
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To read the actual complaint that was filed in federal
court, click on the following link:
http://www.aclu-sc.org/attach/c/complaint_Acosta.pdf